Macau experienced a significant uptick in gaming-related criminal investigations during the first quarter of 2025, with authorities reporting 567 cases—a 61.5 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024. This surge primarily reflects the impact of recently enacted legislation targeting illegal money exchange operations, known locally as “money exchangers,” which came into force in late October 2024.

New legislation drives rise in illegal money exchange cases:

The city’s Judiciary Police and Public Security Police Force attributed much of the rise in gaming crimes to the introduction of the Anti-Illegal Gambling Crime Law, which explicitly criminalizes “operating illegal currency exchange for gambling.” Among the 567 cases recorded, 132 involved this new offense category, representing more than 60 percent of the increase in gaming-related crime compared to the previous year. This category is now considered the main driver behind the overall growth in such offenses.

Despite this increase, enforcement efforts appear effective. Authorities reported the arrest of 251 suspected money exchangers in the first quarter, marking a sharp 80.6 percent decline from the 1,292 arrests made during the same period in 2024. This drop indicates a reduction in the active presence of these illegal operators, even as the number of cases rose due to the broader classification of offenses.

Law enforcement’s success was further underscored by the resolution of 157 cases related to illegal currency exchange activities. These included the newly classified cases as well as some previously recorded under different charges but later reclassified following investigations. Such operations have contributed to maintaining order within casinos and their surrounding environments.

Cross-border cooperation and other crime trends:

A notable development this quarter was the strengthened collaboration between Macau and mainland Chinese authorities. In March, a joint operation dismantled two transnational criminal groups involved in illegal currency exchange. One syndicate operated via fake delivery services, while the other used jewelry shops to facilitate fraudulent transactions. These criminal rings reportedly handled amounts as high as HK$200 million (approximately US$25.7 million) and HK$590 million (about US$75.8 million), respectively. More than 60 gang members were arrested across both jurisdictions during these coordinated efforts.

Besides illegal currency exchange, fraud was the most frequently recorded gaming-related crime in the quarter, accounting for 152 cases or 26.8 percent of the total. Other prominent categories included usury with 51 cases (9 percent), theft with 46 cases (8.1 percent), and misappropriation at 38 cases (6.7 percent). Violations of casino exclusion orders amounted to 21 incidents (3.7 percent), while all remaining types each made up less than three percent.

Compared with 2024, most categories of gaming crimes showed a downward trend, except for fraud, which doubled in incidence. It should be noted that the new crime category of “operating illegal currency exchange for gambling” cannot be directly compared with past data since it was introduced only in late 2024.

As reported by Asia Gaming Brief, an analysis of 679 suspects involved in gaming-related offenses revealed that the vast majority—82.5 percent—were non-residents of Macau, with local residents comprising just 17.5 percent. A similar pattern emerged among the 333 victims identified, where only 8.4 percent were locals, and the remaining 91.6 percent were non-residents. This data suggests that gaming-related criminal activities continue to be predominantly connected to non-local individuals both as perpetrators and victims, with no evident signs of these crimes becoming more localized.

Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak noted that the increase in visitor arrivals by 11.1 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year likely contributes to ongoing uncertainties in maintaining public order. He affirmed that Macau’s security forces will persist in monitoring evolving crime trends and will enhance preventive and enforcement measures as necessary. The recently enacted law is regarded as a crucial tool in combating illegal gambling and related activities, and authorities remain committed to optimizing law enforcement strategies in response to these challenges.